[What's new in the treatment of cancer pain?]

Abstract

Improvements have been made recently in the treatment of cancer pain. First of all, this symptom is better recognized and evaluated in cancer patients. Then new therapeutic options have became available in France : tramadol, WHO level II analgesic, for intermediate to severe pain; gabapentine, a new anticonvulsivant drug, for neuropathic pain; oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate for breakthrough pain; hydromorphone and oxycodone, morphine agonists, as an alternative to morphine; development of patient controlled analgesia via portable pump; better evaluation of alternative therapeutics.